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Your teenager's senior photo session is one of the many activities you will be involved in during their final year in high school. In most instances, seniors schedule their sessions during the summer right before their senior year. However, this is not a hard and fast rule.

If this is the first professional photo session you’re arranging, the tips below will help you feel more at ease.

• The Earlier You Schedule, the Better

Most senior portrait sessions take place between June and October. It’s a busy time, so the sooner you can schedule a photoshoot with a photographer of your choice, the better.

Many parents like to schedule their sessions 6 – 8 months in advance to ensure they can book their ideal photographer on a day that works best for their family.

If your senior plays sports, you should also take this into consideration when deciding when to book a portrait session. 

If you are also wanting some pictures of your senior with their cap & gown on, but it is the wrong time of year to have these items yet, no worries. I have got you covered with some ideas of how to get around this and still get the images that you want.

Just let me know your wishes, and I will help you with my thoughts on how to get it done.

• Location, Location, Location

If your senior has a location in mind for their portrait session, that’s perfect.

However, you don’t need to know where you want to take your photos to set up an appointment – as your senior photographer who does this all time, I can assist you with great places to go to get some senior photos that you will love.

• Plan Those Outfits

Your senior should plan on what they’re going to wear to their photoshoot. I will share with you my wardrobe guidelines to help make your senior the most photogenic.

It’s best to have at least 2 to 3 outfits lined up. My senior photo sessions allow for more than one outfit so you can have different looks in your images.

This is also not the time to try an outfit they've never worn before. Make sure that they are comfortable in what they are going to wear before the photoshoot, and not the morning of.

Also check how the outfit looks when they move, sit down, and raise their arms … you don’t want any undergarments showing or having them fight their clothes to lay correctly while posing. 

Comfort is of the upmost importance when choosing your outfits. 

• Professional Hair and Makeup are Not a Must ... But

While professional hair and makeup can enhance the senior portrait session experience, it is not a requirement.

With that said, it is always fun to treat yourself.

I do encourage you to have professional hair and make up done if you have the time, funds, and someone that you trust to do a good job.

Getting pampered can be a part of the fun experience.   

• Props Should Be Used

You are more than welcome to (and encouraged to) bring and use props during the session.

For example, if your senior plays football in their senior year, it only makes sense to use a football in some of the shots.

The most popular "props" used are a cap and gown for fantastic graduate images.

These photos should represent who your kiddo is in their senior year, and if props can help with that, by all means, bring them along. 

• Share in the Experience

I encourage mom and dad to share in the high school senior photoshoot experience as much as they want to.

Usually, mom is the one to enjoy the two hour photoshoot, be a great confidence booster to her kiddo, and help with getting her senior ready between shots.

I am happy doing a senior photoshoot with whomever is excited to be there, be a personal cheerleader, encourage their senior, and share in the experience. 

Enjoy this moment with your family!

• Bad Weather may Result in Rescheduling

If the weather takes a bad turn on the day of the portrait session, we will look at rescheduling.

This, of course, is on a case-by-case basis, depending on the day. So be prepared to be a little flexible, if need be so we can get the best photoshoot possible. 

Following the photo session, you will receive a series of professionally edited, high-resolution, digital pictures that you can share and print as you see fit.

I can also assist you with Photoshopping, professional prints, graduation cards, wall art, and albums if you are wanting to take some of your most special images to the next level and show them off even more. 

Ready to have some fun?